Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 51: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the cost of employing an additional qualified public health nurse, including PRSI and pension overheads. [28478/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The payscale for public health nurses at 1 June 2005 is as follows; €42,465, €43,196, €43,820, €44,804, €45,936, €47,032, €48,136, €49,377, €50,532. In addition to basic salary public health nurses are entitled to a specialist qualification allowance in recognition of their midwifery qualification. The value of the allowance at 1 June 2005 is €2,558.

Estimates for the cost of an additional nursing post are normally based on the mid-point of salary scale. The cost, excluding pension overhead, of employing an additional public health nurse is estimated to be €53,707. This figure includes basic pay at the mid-point on the scale, €45,936, the specialist qualification allowance and employers PRSI of 10.75%.

The Department of Finance has estimated that the occupational pension overhead for public health nurses is between 16% and 20% of annual gross pensionable pay depending on factors such as age and number of years service of the individual.

Other costs that can arise in relation to employment of public health nurses include travel expenses and on-call payments for weekend work.